Hydraulic system for controlling delivery to motors of differing capacities



July 31, 1951 v E. H. BOWERS 2,562,764

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING DELIVERY TO MOTORS OF DIFFERING CAPACITIES Filed May 2. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I E RiC HIDE'R' BONE/ES INVENTOR REYNOLDS & BEACH I V TTONEYS July 31, 1951 E. H. BOWERS 2,562,764

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM F OR CONTROLLING DELIVERY TO MOTORS OF DIFFERING CAPACITIES Filed May 2. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ERIC HIDER Bows/es INVENTOR Patented July 31, 1951 DELIVERY 1'0 MOT CAPACITIES OBS F DIFFERING Eric Hider Bowers, Cheltenham, England, assignor to DowtyEquipm'ent' Limited, Che'ltenham, England Application Ma 2, 1949, Serial No. 90,871 l In Great Britain February 18, 1949 This invention is concerned with hydraulic control systems for operating various services, such for example as aircraft flying controls or flaps, in which a pump operates in conjunction with unloading mechanism, e. g. a cut-out and by-pass mechanism, to feed fluid into a delivery line whenever the pressure in said line falls below a predetermied pressure. The delivery line usually has a branch leading to an accumulator, and whenever necessary supplies pressure fluid to a jack which is operatively connected withthe service. The direction of travel of the jack is determined by the setting of a control valve. If a jack is so designed in relation to the pump and to the service it is to operate that the desired rate of operation of the service requires a rate of flow in the delivery line substantially the same as the output rate of the pump, the jack is said to be matched to the system. If, on the other hand, some form of restriction means in the jack system is necessary to prevent too rapid a rate of operation of a service, the jack is said to be unmatched.

Whereas the unloading mechanism may frequently be called into operation during actuation of the service. This repeated operation is undesirable and the primary object of the invention is to avoid it whilst retaining the normal function of the unloading mechanism for any matched. jacks there may be in the system. According to the present invention, there is provided between the delivery line and a return line of a hydraulic control system of the kind referred to, a by-pass passage-way including a relief valve adapted to open at a, pressure less than the off loading pressure of the unloading mechanism, and a flow-responsive valve having a valve member movable with unmatched jack actuating flow to a position permitting flow along said passage-way, whereby whenever a service is being moved by an unmatched jack and there is suflicient pressure in the delivery line to hold the relief valve open, the pump, ii called upon to feed the delivery line, will be enabled to maintain the rate of movement of the service while by-passing excess fluid through said passage way.

It will be seen that should the unloading mechanism of the pump be brought into operation at the commencement of or during the actuation of a service requiring a rate of flow in the delivery line less than the output of the pump, the excess from the pump will be able to return through the passage-way so that there is no need for any further operation of the unloading mechanism until after actuation of the service has been completed.

' Claims.

unit embodying some details of the system of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing a-modiflcation of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a modified unit; Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a system including the unit of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of a system with a single-acting jack.

The system shown in Figure 1 includes a unit H which will be described in connection with Figure 2. necessary pipe connections with it the system is a well-known one in which a pump I 2 of the fixed displacement type operates continuously to withdraw hydraulic fluid from a reservoir 1 3 and to deliver this fluid either into a delivery line M or intoa return line l5 leading back to the reservoir. A cut-out device I6 causes the pump to deliver .into the return line l5 whenever pressure in the delivery line has reached a predetermined pressure, and causes the pump to deliver into the line l4 whenever the pressure in said line falls below a predetermined pressure. The delivery line M has a branch line I! leading to an accumulator l8 and leads to the inlet of a control valve [9. The control valve l9 has pipe connections 20 and 2| leading to the opposite ends respectively of a double-acting jack 22, and has a return line 23'leading back to the reservoir Hi. When the control valve is positioned to permit flow from the delivery line l4 into the line 2| to move jackto the left, the line 20 will communicate with the return line 23, and when the control valve permits flow from the line [4 into the line' 20, to shift the jack to the right, the line 2| will communicate with the return line 23. In this example the line 20 includes a restrictor 2A which v may be a one-way or a two-way restrictor.

When the control valve is set to bring about actuation of the jack 22, pressure in the supply line H and accumulator l8 will fall and eventually the pump [2 will start to deliver into the delivery line.. As the rateof movement required at the jack 22 'does not call for a flow equal to the ratedelivered by the pump I2, pressure in the delivery line M will, in the absence of the unit |,'soon build up until the cut-out It comes into operation to divert the flow from the pump I2 Apart from this unit and from the passages together form a by-pass-passage between the delivery and return pipes l4 and 23 of the unit of Figure 4 and it will be seen that the delivery line H has connections with the unit at 38 and 39, and that the return line 23 has connections with the unit at 4| and 40. In this example there is also shown a restrictor 24 in the two lines leading from the control valve to the opposite ends of the jack; The unit IA will perform the same v function as the unit I I of Figure 1 in eliminating system. They include a reliefyalve 29. which is will reach the reliefvalve 44 which, when open,

biassed towards its seating by ar ing-sonnet a" flow-responsive valve 3| which is biassed into the position shown by a spring 32. The relief valve 29 will unseat whenever pressurei'n the. delivery line H is of a sufficient magnitude. It" is to be noted that the pressure necessary to unseat the valve 29 is less than the critical pressure at which the cut-out l6 comes into operation. The flowresponsive valve 3 is in the-formof a piston with a restriction 33 and it moves to the right under the influence of flow in the pipe 23 entering air2'l and leaving at 28. The'extent of movement of the valve 3| is limited by a shoulder 34 so that in the one extreme position shown the section 35 of the by-pass passage within the unit is closed, whereas in the other extreme position it is-open by being in register with an annular'channel 36 of the valve 3|, said channel 36 registering with a number of axially directed bores 31. p v

The presence of the unit llmodifiesj the operation of the known system so that it' functions-in the following manner. Assuming thatthe service is being actuated by the jack and that the cut-- out It isoperatedtdcause the pump" |2"to' feed into the delivery line M, the return flow in the pipe'23' will have moved the valve 3| to the right to open section 35 of the by-pass passage, and the pressure in the delivery line I4 will have unseated the relief valve 29 so that the by-pass passageway within the unit' between the delivery and return lines l4 and 23 respectively will be open to permit surplus fluid to return to the reservoir l3 whilst sufiicient fluid will be supplied to the jack. This condition will prevail so long as the Jack is being'actuated. As soon as the jack comes to rest the flow in the return line 23 will cease and the flow-responsive valve 3| willbe returnedto the position in Figure 2-at which it'closes thebypass section 35. Pressure will then build up in the delivery line [4 .until the cut-out lfi isbrought into operation to divert the how from the pump !2' into the return line: l5. At most' the cut-out will only be called into operation near the beginning andend of actuation of the jack;

The arrangement shown in Figure 3. is-the same as that already described in connectionwith Figures 1 and 2 except that the restriction in the flow-responsive valve 3| is the vsole restriction governing the rate of movement of the jack;

The modified unit IA shown in Figure 4 is designed so that the flow-responsive valve can'be situated in the delivery line instead of in the return line as in Figures 1 and 3. The unithas pipe connections 38; 39; 4|! and 4|; and has" an intermediate passage-way section 42 leadingirom the flow-responsive valve 43 to the inlet end" of the relief valve 44. It will be noted thatthe flow responsive valve 43 is of modified shape. so; that whenmoved by flow entering at 3.8 and leavingat 39 flow from 38 can reachthe section 42 without passing through the restriction 45. in the valve 43. Figure 5 shows a system incorporating the voir.

unnecessary operation of the unloading mechanism associated with the pump, for when the valve 43 has moved to the left to open the section 42 of the by-pass passageway, a restricted flow will reach the control valve and an unrestricted flow will permit the excess liquid to return to the reser- A In Figure 6 there is illustrated part of a system in which the jack 46 is hydraulically actuated for extension only. The jack returns under the influence of its loading. The control valve 41 directs flow from the delivery line M to one end oi the jack, or closes the line l4 and permits flow from saidend of the jack into the return line 23. This system may have the unit IA of Figure 4.

Although in the examples above described and illustrated the unloading mechanism takes the form of a cut-out and by-pass, it is tobe understood that other kinds of unloading mechanism may be used. Thus the unloading mechanism may act to reduce the stroke of the pump, or to meter a reduced flow to the inletof the pump.

7 I claim:

L In a hydraulic system the combination comprising a liquid-actuated device, a pressure generator operable when on load to deliver liquid up to a predetermined rate and maximum pressure which are in excess of the requirements of'the' liquid-actuated device, liquid conduit means, including a delivery line and a return line, interconnecting said liquid-actuated device andsaid pressure generator for delivery of liquid to the liquid-actuated device and for return of liquid so delivered which isin excess of the latters requirements, means sensitive to the pressure in the liquid conduit means and operatively associated with said pressure generator. to interrupt its delivery to said liquid-actuated device automatically in response to delivery of liquid in excess of the lattersrequirements, and to resume such delivery automatically in response to unfulfilled requirements thereof, a by-pass passage in said conduit means interconnecting the delivery and return lines, and valve means controlling said by-pass passage, including a flow-controlledvalve biased to close said by-pass passage but sensitive to and opened automatically by flow of liquidin the conduit means; and a relief valve biased to close said by-pass passage but opened automatically in response to liquid delivery pressure sufiicient to actuate said liquid-actuated device but less than the maximum delivery pressure of the pressure generator, whereby said valve means will relieve excessive pressure upon the liquid-actuated device resulting from delivery of liquid thereto in excess of that utilized by operation of said liquidactuated device, and at the same time will obviate operation of said delivery-interrupting means.

2. A hydraulic system as in claim '1, wherein the by-pass passageis located intermediate the liquid-actuated device. and the delivery-interrupt.- ing' means, and the relief valve is located tobe subject to the delivery pressure of the pressure generator.

3. VA hydraulic system as in claim 2,; characterized in that the flow-controlled valve is connected in the return line.

4. A hydraulic system as in claim 2, characterized in that the flow-controlled element is connected in the delivery line.

5. A hydraulic system as in claim 1, characterized in that the flow-controlled valv is interposed directly in the conduit means in the path of flow of fluid therein actuating the fluid-actuated device, and has a constricted aperture therein restricting flow through and the rate of movement of the fluid-actuated device.

6. A hydraulic system as in claim 1, in which the pressure generator comprises a pump, and a pressure-fluid accumulator included in the system and communicating with the conduit means at the delivery side of the pump and at a location in such conduit means between the deliveryinterrupting means and the by-pass passage.

7. A hydraulic system as in claim 1, wherein the relief valve is located in the delivery line, at the entrance side of and controlling flow through the by-pass passage, and the flow-controlled valve is located in the return line, at the exit side of and controlling flow through said by-pass passage.

8. A hydraulic system as in claim 1, wherein the relief valve is located at the exit side of the bypass passage, controlling flow thence to the return line, and the flow-controlled valve is located in the delivery line, at and controlling flow into the entrance of said by-pass passage.

9. A by-pass control device for incorporation in a hydraulic system, comprising casing means having first and second ducts therein, and a bypass passage interconnecting the respective ducts for flow of fluid therebetween, pressure-actuated valve means received in said by-pass passage and resiliently biased normally to block flow therethrough between said ducts, but operable to open said passage automatically in response to a predetermined pressure of fluid acting on such valve, an inlet to and an outlet from said second duct independent of said by-pass passage, a flowsensitive valve received in said second duct subject to flow therein between said inlet and outlet, and resiliently biased normally to close said by-pass passage, but operable to opensaid bypass passage automatically in response to flow in said duct between inlet and outlet thereof.

10. In a by-pass control device as in claim 9, an inlet for the first duct leading into it from outside the casing, the pressure-actuated valve being subject t pressure of fluid entering through said inlet to open the by-pass passage, and the flow-sensitive valve having a constricted aperture therein afiording the only communication through the second duct between the inlet and outlet ends thereof.

ERIC HIDER BOWERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,905,133 Bishop et al Apr. 25, 1933 1,912,184 Ferris May 30, 1933 1,990,052 Sosa Feb. 5, 1935 2,004,638 Smith June 11, 1935 2,009,608 Douglas July 30, 1935 2,028,766 Ernst et al. Jan. 28, 1936 2,160,217 Kingsbury May 30, 1939 2,214,816 Harrington Sept. 17, 1940 2,214,817 Harrington Sept. 1'7, 1940 2,226,821 Kempson Dec. 31, 1940 2,227,375 Carlson Dec. 31, 1940 2,265,800 Connor et al Dec. 9, 1941 2,316,445 Marshall Apr. 13, 1943. 2,381,528 Trich Aug. 7, 1945 

